Francis & Jane's Fiery Family Kitchen

Francis and his wife Jane rent a formerly raw loft in an overlooked but very well located neighborhood in Manhattan. Despite the bare bones of the space, they've managed to make it their own. Francis (an architect) built a full bathroom, a number of bedrooms for the couple's growing family, and a whole new kitchen, which is bright and welcoming and one of the first things one encounters after the long hallway entrance to their apartment.

The kitchen sits on the original manufacturing loft's floorboards, which Francis painted white. It offers plenty of room for quick meals along the counter as well as grand dinners at the stunning dining room table. It's also iconic IKEA, serving both the family's needs financially and functionally. As an indefinite but knowingly temporary solution, Francis built something that would work with his primarily minimalist aesthetic but provide the means for cooking and preparing meals for a family of five!

As mentioned, Francis, an architect, did much of the building in the kitchen, while Jane, a children's clothing designer, does most of the cooking. One neat feature to note: the dining table is covered in canvas that is meant to be replaced over time. The whole space is a welcome bout of color in an otherwise limited color palette home.